Where we live.

What if something new, different and life changing entered where we live in the midst of our normal routines of tending and living?

I love the above image. Shepherds. Sheep. Night. And an angel joined by a heavenly host of his friends. What would it be like? Some questions have stirred in me as I ponder this experience for those shepherds recorded for us in the bible book of Luke chapter 2 verses 8 through 14.

This is what I noticed this year. This account from doctor Luke says that "there were shepherds LIVING out in fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night". An angel, and then an unfathomable number of angels multiplied, come to announce an arrival to these shepherds. They receive the announcement where they live.

Something new, different and life changing enters where they are living.

What is it?

News of a Savior being born. Good news.

And after one angel announces this to the shepherds, a large number of angels flood in and the heavenly host of angels respond themselves to this good news. What is the response?

They are PRAISING GOD!

They SPEAK GLORY TO GOD! (Don't miss this one. They are giving and speaking glory to God. He doesn't need it. And they can offer it. And so they do. They GIVE. GOD. GLORY.)

They SPEAK PEACE TO MAN THROUGH GOD'S FAVOR RESTING ON THEM.

Something New, Different and Life Changing entering where they live.

What if this arrival impacted what us being together looked like? What if it became less routine and more glorious because of who arrives with us?

What if this arrival made us more in awe about God’s glory than our own glory and our own petty, selfish desires?

What if this arrival helped us speak more honestly and openly about our fears and hear from God in the midst of it?

What if this arrival caused our praising God to be less routine, not just what we do on Sunday, and more saturated in spirit and truth because we are in awe of His glory?

What if this arrival helped us realize afresh together that the good news and great joy IS really good and really great, not boring, irrelevant and of no consequence to our fickle, cold hearts?

What if something new, different and life changing entered WHERE WE LIVE in the midst of our normal routines of tending and living?

How could this happen?

How did this happen?

The arrival of King Jesus.

There's more.